Willis players who gave blood are back on team

Players who gave blood are back on teamFootball coach at Willis High apologizes for ousting 6 athletes late for practice

Six football players, kicked off the Willis High School team because they were late for practice after donating blood, were reinstated Tuesday after the coach issued an apology.

"They were not dismissed because they donated blood but that they did it right at the beginning of athletic period on Monday," said Brian Zemlicka, superintendent of the Willis Independent School District in Montgomery County. "They were missing practice and were late."

After the players gave blood, they were given a sheet that warned against doing strenuous exercise for several hours, said Zemlicka, raising health issues, especially after the sudden deaths of four student athletes in the Houston area.

"Some players had given blood earlier in the morning and had time to recover," he said, unlike the six players removed from the team.

However, she said the athletes should have been able to attend practice after resting 15 minutes and drinking orange juice. "They just needed to stay hydrated and be mindful that they had just given blood before overexerting," she said.

Willis is among hundreds of Houston-area high schools that hold regular blood drives. Johnson said she couldn't recall coaches ever complaining, although some may have instructed players against donating the day of a game.

The reinstated varsity players, including two captains, will be permitted to compete in Friday night's game against Huntsville if they complete some extra conditioning work, Zemlicka said.

Relieved parents

The coach, athletic director and high school principal had individual meetings with each player and his parents on Tuesday.

"I'm satisfied," said Diane Willis, whose son, Jayson Olner, is one of the captains. "But the true test will come when we see if they do get to play."

Elizabeth McKenna, the mother of another reinstated player, Phillip, also expressed relief. "The coach apologized and said he had not acted appropriately," she said.

Coach Mack Malone, a first-year head coach who graduated from Willis, could not be reached for comment.

But parents said none of the players had been warned not to give blood. Also, the players had been assigned and not chosen the times to make their donations.

The six players were shocked Monday when they were told to pack up their gear and that their high school career was over, parents said. The Willis team, which has not won any games this season, had three left to play.

Tom Garrett, whose son is a captain hoping to win a college scholarship, said he thinks the coach was "having a bad day and made a rash decision."

"It takes a big man to admit it. Now, if we can just win a football game," he said.